How Far We've Come
by 1221bookworm
Summary: A little unexpected celebration on an October 3rd in the future helps Ed see how far he's come. EdWin.


_**A/N: My contribution for FMA day. Just a little scene that may happen on an October 3rd someday in the future.**_

 _ **A/N2: I don't own FMA. I think it's pretty obvious since I don't have any of the cool manga images in my story!**_

Winry turned the calendar page up, revealing a pumpkin patch picture over the grid of dates for October. She put an "x" through the first two dates, staring at the 3rd for a long time. Putting the pen down, she rubbed her large stomach, smiling at the baby's kick in response. "It's officially October now. You can come out anytime you know." She laughed as a strong kick seemed to say that the baby was quite happy where it was, even though she was already three days past her due date. Winry sighed.

"You know the baby can't hear you, right?" Ed was leaning against the counter, hair tousled from sleep.

Winry moved back to the kitchen table, one hand supporting her lower back. "Granny says the baby can recognize our voices already. And that we should talk to them. It will help them be more adjusted after they're born." She paused to take a sip of tea. "Not that any child of yours can be well adjusted."

"Hey. I'll show you." Ed crouched down next to her chair and addressed her belly. "You'll be the greatest Alchemist mechanic there is!" He emphasized his point with a gentle poke.

Rolling her eyes, Winry shook her head. "That is not the way to make a child well adjusted Ed. And there's no need for shouting."

"Yeah, well, whatever." Ed scratched the back of his head before snitching a piece of toast off her plate. "I meant what I said," he added, mouth full.

"Edward Elric stop being a slob around your child. Close your mouth when you eat." Winry lobbed her napkin at her husband, who dodged it easily.

"Al and I are going to walk out to the old house today. Want to come?" Ed's sudden shift to serious made Winry realize how ready he actually was to be a father. Even if he refused to show it. His words also made her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. October 3rd. How could she have forgotten? She'd been so wrapped up in the baby's due date and her frustration with being overdue that she hadn't really paid attention to the date. "I'm sorry, Ed." Tears welled up in her eyes and her voice quavered. "I forgot, didn't realize." She sniffed. "I can't go up that hill like this."

"Don't cry, Winry." Ed's voice was a mixture of exasperation and caring. "We don't even have to if you don't want me to go ..."

"You have to go. It's a part of who you are." Winry wiped her nose on her sleeve.

"Fine then. I'm just gonna get dressed and come back."

Ed was gone a few minutes later with a quick kiss and a promise to be back "soon." Den came and put his head in Winry's lap as she watched him go.

"I know. I'll make them an apple pie for when they come back." Her spirits revived, she moved about the kitchen, preparing her ingredients and chopping apples. Placing the finished product in the oven, she straightened, kneading her lower back. She couldn't believe how tense her muscles were this morning, tightening of their own accord almost as if -

Winry gasped. Labor. Today of all days. Ed was down the road reliving past memories and mistakes and she was here about to deliver a baby.

Forcing herself to take deep breaths, she called Granny, who was there in no time, forcing her to sit down, relax, and drink a cup of calming tea.

"You seem upset, Winry." Of course Granny could see right through the regular nerves to the root of Winry's feelings.

"How could I do this to them?" Her voice rose several octaves.

"Have Ed's baby?" Granny was going to make her spell it out.

"Those boys went through hell because of this day, and I'm adding to it." She winced as she recognized another contraction.

Granny was silent for a long time, puffing at her pipe. "I don't doubt Ed will think he's in hell today as he waits for this baby to be born. Goodness knows he doesn't have half the patience of his mother." Another puff. "But it wouldn't actually be hell if those boys didn't survive it, so I think this will be a good distraction."

Winry didn't have any more time to think about it as the time got closer for her to deliver. Ed hovered when he and Al returned, and Winry threatened to kick him out several times if he couldn't make himself useful and less annoying.

The baby's first cries were the most beautiful thing Winry had ever heard. Ed and Al crowded around as she stroked the blond hair and kissed the button nose. She laughed as Ed counted fingers and toes as if automail was an inherited condition. She eventually fell asleep, exhaustion eating at her.

Winry wasn't sure how long she'd slept, but as her eyes opened groggily, she could see Ed sitting up against the headboard beside her, holding the baby.

"Hey there." Ed have her a small smile before his attention returned to the bundle in his arms.

"What time is it?" Winry moved to sit up, taking the baby from him and nestling it against her.

"Almost midnight."

"I'm sorry Ed."

Ed's eyebrows shot up. "For what?"

"Today was your day. And Al's day. And I took that away from you."

"Pshaw. You think I care about that?" Ed reached into his back pocket and pulled out his State Alchemist watch, a momento Furher Grumman has allowed him to keep even though he no longer acted in that capacity. "A token of our appreciation for your service" he'd said at the time. Ed dug his nail into the catch and it popped open, but he kept the inside faced away from her. "I had Al change it while you were asleep." Now he turned it, and Winry felt herself choking up.

Underneath the date, a new line had been added:

Urey Hohenheim Rockbell Elric

3:52pm 1921

Ed put his arm around Winry, pulling her closer. "I think it's something pretty good to remember today, don't you think? Something happy." He snapped the watch closed and put it on the nightstand. "Symbol of how far we've come."

Winry sat up straighter, pressing a kiss against his lips. She couldn't help but smile at the look of surprise on his face. "Edward Elric, I give you half my heart."

"Half?"

"The other half goes to Urey." Winry placed a kiss on his forehead, and the smallest smile twitched his sleeping lips upward.

"Ok, alchemy lessons start now." Ed gently removed Urey from her arms and settled him comfortably in his own. "First lesson, never, ever listen to Alchemist formulas from your mother ..."

"Ed!"


End file.
